Flourishes Release Week: In Nature

Welcome to Day Two of Flourishes June Releases!  We're thrilled to show off more nature-inspired offerings for you today.

One of the things that makes summer so special are those tranquil moments spent in the outdoors.  Think of those peaceful places of recreation or solitude away from the hectic schedule, celebrating the beauty and restoring power that nature has.  Today we bring you...

You can feel the solitude in this beautiful and earthy set penned by Lauren Pope. Whether it's catching the great outdoors by canoe, or sitting by the lake front cabin, this set delivers a serene dose of nature. This 4 by 6" set offers two main images plus three beautifully scripted sentiments. Images are great for nature lovers or even for the men in your life!

I used Flourishes In Nature that I stamped out onto Kraft paper in Versafine Onyx Black and colored in with colored pencils. I tucked some Turquoise Ruffled Edge Trim and some Ivory Laurel Venise lace on top of my yellow striped background paper and added some Ice Green Pearls that I colored in with a B05 Copic marker from the Flourishes Copic Sky Collection.

We'll have some beautiful creations to show you with the In Nature set, so take a trip on over to visit the Design Team today to see them, and don't forget about today's…

One of the Design Team Members is today's Mystery Blogger.  If you comment on her blog you could be chosen to win today's great set!  The more you comment the better your chances!

Amanda Havon
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Heather Jensen
Julie Koerber
Maki Jones
Silke Ledlow
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

Along the way today you'll be introduced to the beautiful Trail Mix 123 Create Kit for this month too - here's a sneak peek at what's in it...

AND NOW DO YOU WANT TO WIN OUR ENTIRE RELEASE?
How would you like a chance to win all four of our soon-to-be released June sets?
You can always play in our  Textures of Nature Challenge – there will be multiple winners there! Deadline for entries is Friday at 5 PM EST.  OR, play along with the gals for this week's Timeless Tuesday Open Sesame Challenge! Check out the links for the official rules!

Also, if you like what you see on our designers' blogs today, you can pre-order this set (along with the other three sets as well). You can also take advantage our New Release Bundle and get 10% off when you purchase all four together in a bundle. All sets will be live first thing Friday morning along with the coordinating cut files for this release. So, be sure to come back and join us each day this week as we unveil a whole new host of paper crafting fun!

Come back tomorrow when we'll show you something that's pretty and tasty-sweet!

Flourishes June Release Challenge!!

June is such a beautiful month!  At least in my neck of the woods it's full of green, and blooming outdoor colors and textures.  In just a few short days we'll be unveiling a new round of stamps at Flourishes inspired by the outdoors.  We're really excited to show them to you.  So today,  we're challenging you to be inspired by the TEXTURES of Nature!

HOW TO PLAY:  Create something with an outdoorsy texture in mind - or use an element from nature as part of your design.  It could be the texture in an embossing folder that has woodgrain, leaves or vines, it could be a leaf rubbing behind your image, something glossy like rain or shiny like a berry.  The interpretation is up to you!  If you play along with us, you could win Flourishes entire June Stamp Release!  If you upload to SCS please use the keyword FLLCJUN13.  You can enter as many times as you like, but we want you to know if you use your Flourishes stamps, your entry counts twice!  You have until Friday June 14, 2013 at 5 PM EST to enter.  Just be sure to enter your creation below using our InLinkz Widgit.  Enjoy exploring those nature textures!

I was inspired by the soft textures of baby chicks so I pulled out my Easter Wishes stamp set.

I stamped my Easter Wishes out on Classic White cardstock in Versafine Black Onyx ink on top of a Perfectly Pierced Classic Frames diecut. Then I colored my image in with Copics and mounted it on popdots on top of a Spellbinder die shape, which I matted some cardstock from the Color Made Easy in Rich Browns, behind it. I added some yellow flocking to my chick image for my texture and then used some Color Made Easy ribbon from the Sunflower collection in Antique Gold, a black button and some Metallic Silver String cording tied to a Tailor Made Classic Tag die with my sentiment from Easter Wishes, as my finishing touch.

How would you like to be inspired by our Senior Design Team before you get started?

Hop on over to:

 Amanda Havon
 Christine Okken
 Cindy Lawrence
 Danielle Kennedy
 Heather Jensen
 Julie Koerber 
 Maki Jones
 Silke Ledlow
 Stacy Morgan

And be sure to welcome our NEWEST Senior Design Team Member - Tosha Leyendekker

!!  See more about her HERE. We're so excited to have her with us!

THE OFFICIAL RULES:
     Simply create a card using any textures from nature, or inspired by nature!

Entries need to be in by Friday June 14th, 5 PM EST

Those entries using Flourishes Stamps will be counted twice

You must link your creation on our InLinkz Widgit to be counted

You must have a link to our challenge in your blog post or gallery post

Please DO NOT combine challenges.  Only those entries that don't combine will be in the running

If you upload to SCS please use the keyword FLLCJUN13

We'll announce the winners on Saturday in our Winner's Circle Post here on the blog on Saturday June 15th, so check back then to find out if you are a winner!

Thanks for stopping by today and we look forward to seeing what you create!  We'll see you here on TUESDAY June 11th when Sneak Peeks start!

Flourishes 10 Minute Thursday

Good morning Friends! It's time for a 10 Minute Thursday idea anyone can make!

A few weeks ago my oldest daughter was lamenting how soon flower arrangements fade. So I wondered if I couldn't make her something that would both encourage and delight her with flowers, every time she looked at it!

I used Flourishes Fresh Labels and printed it off onto Classic White cardstock, then I stamped a sentiment from Life Lines in Versafine Black Onyx ink. I used my Silhouette Cameo and cut out the Autumn Blossoms file and stamped the matching image from the Autumn Blossoms stamp set.

Here are the Flourishes Copic Collections I used to color my flower in.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope I inspired you to try to make unique encouraging gifts for your friends or family!

Flourishes Favorites: Focus on the Guys!

Hello Flourishes Friday Friends!  Today we're going to continue on our theme of masculine cards that we began last week, giving you some more great inspiration for that guy in your life!   The Senior Design Team is picking any set in our Flourishes Stamp Collection and showing off their masculine designs to you today.  I now you'll be inspired and come away with some great manly ideas!

I used the Flourishes Father's Day set to make my card.

I used Father's Day that I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black onto Classic White cardstock and sponged with Memento Desert Sand ink onto a Spellbinders Perfectly Pierced Frame diecut. Then I tied some Kraft Jute around my card and added a Black Button knotted on, then I matted my card with Flourishes Kraft and Classic Black cardstocks. 

This will be Danielle's last Friday with us :(  We are going to miss her sweet spirit and her amazing designs! Please stop by her blog and leave her some love! :)
And don't forget our Designer Focus on the main blog.  Did you know you can have a chance to win a
Flourishes Goodie Bag if you CASE this weeks designer? To play along, visit our Flourishes main blog page HERE to read more about it!

  Amanda Havon
  Christine Okken
  Cindy Lawrence
  Danielle Kennedy
  Heather Jensen
  Julie Koerber 
  Maki Jones
  Silke Ledlow
  Stacy Morgan

Thank you for visiting and have a great day!

Splitcoast Product Review: Action Card Templates!

Ok, how many of us love those action cards that are so hot right now? I know I do! Today the Splitcoast Stampers Product Review Team is reviewing the Green Sneakers Action Card Templates on Splitcoast, HERE, and you're sure to love these!

I used them to make this Father's Day Slider Card.

When you slide it open, it looks like this! Isn't that fun? The possibilities are endless!

So hop on over to the Splitcoast Stampers Product Review page HERE and read more about them and what the rest of the PR Team and I think about them!

Thank you for visiting and please visit the rest of team's creations with these Action Card Templates! I promise, you won't be disappointed!!

Flourishes Friday Focus: What A Catch!

Good morning and happy Friday everyone!  Today is Flourishes Friday Focus on What A Catch and our Focus on the Designers! Please check out who the Focus is on this week HERE on the Flourishes blog!

On to my creation, I created a Father's Day gift card holder, for the men that are hard to buy for!

 I stamped What A Catch on Classic Ivory cardstock, with Versafine Black Onyx ink and fussy cut my image. I colored it in with Ice Blue, Buttercup, Beehive, Copper, Walnut, Flesh Tones 1 and Cool Neutrals Copic Collections. I found a DAD gift card file on the online Silhouette America store and cut the Shape out with my Silhouette Cameo Machine and I used Score Tape to adhere all of the layers together.

Inside it I stamped the fish image in the gift card pocket area and colored it in with the Ice Blue, Cool Neutrals, and Sweet Pea Copic Collections. I wanted to add a Bass Pro Shops Gift card inside but apparently we don't have any near by us :(

For more What A Catch inspirations, visit the Flourishes Gallery! I know it will just tickle your toes seeing all those awesome designs!

Please Visit the rest of the Design Teams blogs for more What A Catch inspirations!


  Amanda Havon
  Christine Okken
  Cindy Lawrence
  Danielle Kennedy
  Heather Jensen
  Julie Koerber 
  Maki Jones
  Silke Ledlow
  Stacy Morgan

Have a great day!

Flourishes Free For All Friday!

Good morning and welcome to Flourishes Free For All Friday with a twist! Today begins a new segment to our release rewind favorites from Release Week. We are starting a Designer Focus where each Free For All you will get a closer look at each of us Senior Designers! Isn't that exciting? I know I would love to know what inspires each of us and how some of us come up with our delicious designs! This week the focus is on our wonderful Julie Koerber! Visit the Flourishes blog to read all about her, and our CASE Challenge! Play along to CASE one of her creations and a random winner will receive a Flourishes Goodie Bag!! I love a good CASE challenge, don't you? Play along and YOU might be our winner!

Don't forget, it's the LAST DAY for the New Releases Discount Bundle! In your bundle you'll receive the Old Tea Rose, Glamour Girls, Call Me & Simply Charming! Such Pretty & Cute sets!

I used the Old Tea Rose on my card from this month's release.

I used the Old Tea Rose stamp set that I stamped in Versafine Onyx Black ink and fussy cut it out. Then I colored it in with Lenten Rose, Dahlia, Poppy, Beehive, Olive Green and Evergreen Copic Collections. I cut out a Perfectly Pierced Classic Window on Classic White cardstock and stamped my sentiment over that in Memento Rich Cocoa. I sponged Memento Pistachio ink on the edges of the Perfectly Pierced Window then placed my fussy cut images on popdots and placed it over the diecut. I layered the Perfectly Pierced Window on top of another Spellbinder diecut, matted with the Color Made Easy cardstock line in Pistachio and decorated my card with pearls.

Check out the rest of the Senior Design Team for more inspirations and amazing projects!

  Amanda Havon
  Christine Okken
  Cindy Lawrence
  Danielle Kennedy
  Heather Jensen
  Julie Koerber 
  Silke Ledlow
  Stacy Morgan

Have a wonderful creative day!

Flourishes May Release Challenge!

We're excited to welcome you to May's Release Challenge at Flourishes! May brings most of us to those warmer sunny days anticipating summer, and in some cultures May Day is celebrated by presenting loved ones with flowers or ringing the doorbell at someone's home and leaving behind a basket of flowers and treats....today we're bringing you flowers of our own,  asking you to be inspired by the colors in this beautiful illustration...

HOW TO PLAY:  There are so many beautiful combinations you can be inspired by!  Choose all of the colors in the illustration - or pick three that work together for you and create!  If you play along with us, you could win Flourishes entire May Stamp Release!  If you upload to SCS please use the keyword FLLCMAY13.  You can enter as many times as you like, but we want you to know if you use Flourishes stamps, your entry counts twice!  You have until Friday May 10, 2013 at 5 PM EST to enter.  Just make sure you enter your creation below using our InLinkz Widgit.  Have fun getting inky!

With this challenge, we also want to let you in on a little secret! Do you like the image above? Well, next week you will see this very flower in its full glory as our designers sneak peak the work of a brand new artist at Flourishes -- Sam Pickard! Sam hails from England and many folks have seen her work on her blog - Planet Sam. We are so excited to share this artist's work on polymer! We know you will love what we have in store!

Don't you just love the Release Week colors for the challenge? They're my ultimate favorite colors to work with!! I'm keeping the challenge color graphics for my personal inspirational file!
After I looked at the inspiration photo, I was inspired to create a Teabag Purse with the colors.

I used Flourishes Garden Gate stamp set that I stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and fussy cut it out. I chose to color my image in with Poppy, Sweat Pea, Beehive, Evergreen and Olive Green Copic Collections. I used Flourishes Kraft cardstock for my purse and stamped out a background with the Flourishes Vintage Wallpaper in Memento Toffee Crunch ink. After that, I sponged the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, and made faux stitching with the Picket Fence Distress Marker. I sponged Tattered Rose Distress Ink on a doily that I folded over the purse and added a few accents with some Spellbinders Fancy Tags dies that I sponged over, with the Tattered Rose and Vintage Photo ink. Then I stamped the sentiment from Tulips for Friends in Rich Cocoa ink. I added some Blush Pearls, and some Baby Pink Ribbon from the Color Made Easy line for the handle, and I hand dyed the ribbon bow on the handle with a Tea Dye Distress Ink re-inker.

Here is the inside of the Teabag Purse.

Here, you can see the teabags tucked in the pockets snugly, and the Vintage Wall Paper stamped design on the inside flaps in Memento Toffee Crunch ink, with Vintage Photo sponged around the edges for accent and emphasis. 


We know you'll also be inspired by our Senior Design Teams Creations so go ahead and visit:

 Amanda Havon
  Christine Okken
  Cindy Lawrence
  Danielle Kennedy
  Heather Jensen
  Julie Koerber 
  Maki Jones
  Silke Ledlow
  Stacy Morgan

THE OFFICIAL RULES:

Simply create a card using 3 or more of the colors of the inspiration photo above
Entries need to be in by Friday May 10th, 5 PM EST
Those entries using Flourishes Stamps will be counted twice
You must link your creation on our InLinkz Widgit to be counted
You must have a link to our challenge in your blog post or gallery post
Please DO NOT combine challenges.  Only those entries that don't combine will be in the running
If you upload to SCS please use the keyword FLLCMAY13
We'll announce the winners on Saturday in our Winner's Circle Post here on the blog on Saturday May 11th, so check back then to find out if you are a winner!

Thanks for stopping by and we look forward to seeing what you create!